Jingkai Expressway

Opened just after the turn of the century, the relatively new expressway links Beijing south of Yuquanying (on the Southern 3rd Ring Road) to the ancient Chinese capital of Kaifeng. Only the segment running through Yufa, South Beijing, is complete. The expressway runs directly south and is particularly easily accessible heading south from the western 2nd Ring Road.

The Jingkai Expressway gets its name by the combination of two one-character Chinese abbreviations of both Beijing and Kaifeng (Beijing -> jing, Kaifeng -> kai).

Route

The Jingkai Expressway, in its Beijing portion, runs within the confines of the municipality of Beijing.

Note: Some maps of the expressway incorrectly show it ending after a bridge near Gu'an in Hebei province. The actual terminus for the moment comes earlier, at Yufa. In 2004, an additional 7 kilometres of the Jingkai Expressway was announced.

History

The expressway was opened ahead of time from Yuquanying through to Yufa.

Its construction was of great importance as it quickly sped development in south Beijing, which was previously lacklustre territory.

Late on October 7, 2004, an accident occurred on the stretch heading south, near Lihua Bridge, as a large passenger vehicle collided with a lorry carrying coal. Twenty police offers from Hebei were injured.

Portions under construction or projection

The entire expressway is expected to link to Kaifeng; however, only a meagre 40-odd kilometres have been built in the Beijing section. Kaifeng is over 700 kilometres away from Beijing (to the south).

In 2004, an additional 7 kilometres of the Jingkai Expressway was announced, possibly finally linking it to Gu'an. China National Highway 106 coming into Beijing after Gu'an already has portions of the national highway redone as an expressway, albeit only for a kilometre or two.

Tolls

CNY 0.5/km as of 5th Ring Road intersection for sections south of the toll gate. (The 5th Ring Road intersection is free only for vehicles heading south toward Kaifeng.) Entire stretch from Yuquanying to Yufa costs CNY 20 (price for small passenger cars). Networked with 6th Ring Road toll system.